Board game with pivotable magnetic playing piece



16, 1968 1.. J. WEISMANTEL 3,363,901

BOARD GAME WITH PIVQTABLE MAGNETIC PLAYING PIECE Filed Jan. 5, 1965 INVENTOR. LEO J. WE/SMANTEL BY MAHOg/EY, MILLER 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1968 3,363,901 BOARD GAME WITH PIVOTABLE MAGNETIC PLAYING PIECE Leo J. Weismante], 922 Garfield Ave, Lancaster, Ohio 43130 Filed Jan. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 423,502 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-108) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The game apparatus of this invention utilizes a playing piece which is required to be displaced across a game board in a predetermined manner .to accomplish the objectives of the game. Movement of the playing piece is effected by a permanent magnet held above the game board so as to attract the playing piece which is magnetic but without contact therewith. The playing piece must remain on the game board during the movement thereof and thereby, introduces the skill factor.

Objects of the invention It is the primary object of this invention to provide a game apparatus having a novel, magnetic playing piece which may be selectively manipulated on the surface of a game board by a hand-held permanent magnet without contact therebetween.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a game apparatus requiring manual dexterity as a test of physical skill in the accomplishment of the game objectives.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawmg.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the principle of operation of the game showing the playing piece in side elevation.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the playing piece.

Having reference to the drawing, the game apparatus is shown in its entirety as utilized in FIGURE 1 and is seen to comprise a game board 10, a playing piece 11 and an actuating device 12. The game board consists of a rectangularly-shaped, structurally rigid sheet which has a substantially flat, upper playing surface. In utilizing the game apparatus, the game board 10 would be supported in a substantially horizontal position as on a table of convenient height. The playing surface is preferably smooth to facilitate movement of a playing piece thereover and, in the illustrated embodiment, is provided with two elongated, visually defined areas 13 and 14 along which the playing pieces are intended to be moved. Each area, 13 and 14, represents a path along which a player may elect to move his playing piece. To increase the degree of skill required for playing the game, each path, 13 and 14, preferably follows an irregular course over the playing surface and may have a sequentially increasing, numerical value assigned to selected areas for scoring purposes.

The playing piece 11 is an elongated, structurally rigid member which is designed to be moved along the selected path on the game board 10 in a generally upstanding position (see FIGURE 1). Although more than one playing piece would normally be provided with each game board for the convenient accommodation of a plurality of players, only one playing piece is shown for simplicity of illustration. Each such playing piece 11 is formed from an elongated strip of magnetic material, such as relatively thin, sheet steel stock. As is best shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the strip of material is uniquely shaped to simulate a snake and is appropriately surface decorated to illustrate a snakes head at one marginal endportion 15. The opposite marginal end portlon 16 which simulates the snakes tail is preferably circularly coiled to provide a weight at this end. A further concentration of weight is effected by enlargement of the width of the metal strip at the marginal end portion 16 which is coiled. It is not intended that the specifically lllnstrated playing piece construction and shape be a limitation on the scope of the invention. The present embod ment has a jungle motif but this is not considered as a hmitation.

A permanent magnet forms the actuat ng device 12 utilized in manipulating the playing piece 1n accordance with the playing rules of the game. This magnet may be of the well known bar form which is commercially avaaltable but having a sufiicient magnet strength to accomplish the objectives of the game.

In playing the game, the magnet 12 is held in the players hand at a certain distance above the surface of the game board 10 so as to attractand ma ntain a playing piece 11 in a generally upstanding pos tion as 1s best shown in FIGURE 2. While thus maintained in an upstanding position, the skill objective of the game apparatus is to move the playing piece along the selected path, 13 or 14, from a starting position at one side of the board to the opposite side. In accordance with the playmg rules devised for the game, this movement is to be accomplished while the tail portion 16 of the playing p1ece remains in contact with the board 10 and without physical contact between the magnet 12 and the head portion 15. A considerable degree of skill is required in the manipulation of the magnet to obtain movement of the playmg piece 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG- U-RE 2 and the score is indicated by the numerical value indicated on the path 13 or 14 at the position it comes to rest.

A further increase in playing skill required is necessi-tated through inclusion of a bridge structure 17 along the desired path of movement. The bridge structure 17 has a surface which projects above the normally flat surface of the board and it requires additional skill to maneuver a playing piece 11 over the bridge.

It is readily apparent from the description of this invention that a novel game apparatus is provided to test a players skill. Considerable skill and dexterity is re quired to effect the desired cooperation between the magnet and the playing piece in maintaining the play ng piece in an upstanding position while causing the playing piece to move across the game board.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus comprising: a substantially planar game board having a pathway with progressive scoring indicia situate along said pathway; a playing piece adapted to be moved along said pathway, said playing piece being formed of a strip of magnetically attracted material, said strip having curved weighted means at one end, having a head portion at the other end and an elongated portion intermediate its respective ends; said playing piece having a normal position lying upon said game board with said elongate portion in a generally parallel relationship with the plane of said game board; magnetic means adapted to be held in a players hand and to attract said head por tion of said playing piece and to raise said. head portion and elongate Portion Pivotally about said curved weighted m ans from said normal position to a second position a d to move said playing piece along said pathway in said second position.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said pathway is mainly flat but is provided with an elevated ramp section over which the playing piece may be moved.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Schneider 46-241 Washburn 2731 Luchsinger 273-1 Schaper 273-1 4 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/1935 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES I 5 Ping Pong Puzzle, Examiners disclosure of public use (1903) classified in 273-109 and located in Art Unit 334.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

1O ANTON O. OECHSLE, Examiner.

S. NATTER, Assistant Examiner. 

